Construction workers alerted California Highway Patrol officers Monday to a shocking find they made while performing work on the shoulder of Interstate 5 in Valencia: a human skull.
At around 1 p.m., the employees, who were working on a Metro and Caltrans contract, reported finding human remains, according to the CHP’s L.A. Communications Center log.
There was no identification for the decedent available at this time, and officials were not immediately aware of how long the remains had been resting on the hillside adjacent to the right shoulder area for the southbound lanes, south of Valencia Boulevard, where they were found.
“Upon arriving at the scene, Newhall Area units located what appears to be a human skull,” according to an email Wednesday from Josh Greengard, spokesman for the CHP Newhall area office. “The southbound off-ramp of Valencia Boulevard was closed for the investigation.”
A representative from the L.A. County coroner’s office said the remains were identified as Unidentified Doe No. 70.
Because the body was found along the freeway, L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau officials said the incident would be investigated by the CHP.
Greengard confirmed Wednesday the agency’s Internal Service Unit, which operates out of downtown Los Angeles, would be handling the investigation into the death.
The work is part of I-5 North County Enhancements Project, according to Patrick Chandler, a spokesman for LA Metro.
There was no additional information available at this time.
Anyone who might have information about the remains or what happened can call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website lacrimestoppers.org.
